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Days of Our Lives
Days of Our Lives is an American daytime soap that is broadcast on the NBC television network. As one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, it has aired nearly every weekday since its debut on November 8th, 1965, and has subsequently been syndicated the many countries around the world. The series was created by the husband and wife team of Ted and Betty Corday, and Irna Phillips, considered to be the mother of the American soap opera, was an early story editor for the serial. Many of the show's earliest storylines were written by William J. Bell, who would later go on to create The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. As a result of the show's success, it was expanded from 30 minutes to a full hour on April 21st, 1975, just under a decade after the series debuted. Since that date, a mid-show bumper has been featured with the phrase "We will return for the second half of Days of Our Lives in just a moment", voiced by the late MacDonald Carey. Days of Our Lives is currently the second longest-running American serial in the United States, following General Hospital and is the fourth longest running serial worldwide, with one of the largest back catalogues of surviving episodes available. Set in the fictional community of Salem, the series focuses on the trials and tribulations of the Brady and Horton families, as well as several smaller families and relations. Frances Reid, who portrayed the matriach of the Horton family, Alice, remained with the series from its inception until her death on February 3rd, 2010. Suzanne Rogers, who has portrayed Maggie Horton since 1973, is currently one of the show's longest running performers, while Susan Seaforth Hayes, who portrays Julie Williams, has appeared in all six decades the show has been on the air. Days of Our Lives aired its 10,000th episode on November 21st, 2005, and was given the title of the most daring drama of the seventies, as it covered topics other soap operas would dare not cover at the time, such as artificial insemination and interracial romance. Days of Our Lives currently features Ken Corday, Greg Meng and Lisa de Cazotte as the series' executive producers, while Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr. serves as the show's head writers. History Looking to combine elements of the "hospital soap" with the tradition of focusing a series of a family, Ted and Betty Corday, and William J. Bell decided to make the show about a family of doctors, including one who worked in a mental hospital. Storylines in the context of the show follow the lives of middle-class and upper-class professionals in the middle-America community of Salem, with the usual threads of love, marriage, divorce, and family life, as well as medical stories and character studies of individuals with psychological issues. Former executive producer Al Rabin took pride in the characters' passion, saying that the characters were not shy about sharing "what was in their gut". Critics originally praised the show for its non-reliance on nostalgia (in contrast to shows such as As the World Turns and Guiding Light) and its portrayal of "real American contemporary families". The January 12th, 1976 cover of Time Magazine featured series stars Susan Seaforth Hayes and Bill Hayes, who portrays Doug Williams'', marking the first and only time that daytime actors would appear on the magazine's cover. The Hayes' themselves were a couple whose onscreen and real-life romance received substantial coverage in the daytime magazines, as well as the mainstream press. During the 1990's, the show delved in telling storylines involving elements of the supernatural, a move which was immediately panned by critics, who saw it as a drastic departure from the realistic storylines that Days of Our Lives has become known for telling. Despite being critically lauded, these storylines had the desired effect and Days became the most-watched daytime soap amongst young and middle-aged women, and subsequently became one of NBC's most profitable programs in any time slot. In addition to receiving critical acclaim in print journalism, Days has won a number of awards, including a Daytime Emmy Award for Best Drama in 1978, as well as a Writer's Guild of America Award for Best Drama in 2000. The series has received a number of Daytime Emmy's for Acting: '''MacDonald Carey won an award for best actor, while Susan Flannery won for best actress in 1975. Suzanne Rogers, Leann Hunley and Tamara Braun have all Daytime Emmy's in the best supporting actress category, while Billy Warlock and Darin Brooks have won awards in the Best Younger Actor category. Cast Current Cast Members Recurring Cast Members Comings and Goings References Category:2011 Category:2012 Category:2011 Category:2012 Category:2011 Category:2012 Category:2011 Category:2012